The program Volunteer Action for Cambodia is organized bySTAR Kampuchea, a Cambodian non-governmental organization. It is our mission to build up democracy and to strengthen civil society in our country. VAC was established in December 2004 and is run by Cambodian volunteers. The VAC program is unique with its moderate prices. Thanks to our - STAR Kampuchea's - work with different NGOs throughout Cambodia we maintain good relationships with our partners to ensure responsible und useful volunteer work.

The VAC program invites volunteers from all over the world to work with Cambodian non-governmental organizations. The idea is to bring foreign volunteers to Cambodia to exchange cultural and work experience and to contribute new impulses and fresh ideas to both Cambodian and the volunteers’ home society. VAC is designed primarily for college students and recent graduates. We help the volunteers to find a suitable placement and to organize their stay in Cambodia. The length of stay depends on the volunteer’s interests and varies between 3 weeks and six months. To gain a deep insight into the organizations and their activities a minimum stay of 6 weeks is recommended.

We work closely together with STAR Kampuchea's 50 VAC partner organizations in seven provinces. Among them there are international NGOs, trade unions and local organizations in remote areas. Depending on the volunteer’s interests, placements are possible in many different fields, such as advocacy training, HIV/AIDS, English/ IT Teaching, Health, Rural Development, Human Rights Protection, Legal Rights Work and Environmental Issues.

For example: an Australian volunteer supported the STAR Kampuchea Advocacy Action Program and its partner organizations with the Workshop “The World Trade Organisation’s impact on farmers” in December 2004 in Phnom Penh and published extensive documentation of the discussions. A second volunteer assisted the STAR Kampuchea Advocacy Capacity Building Program by conducting training courses about the Cambodian Constitution and about Grassroots Advocacy. A Canadian and a German Volunteer supported STAR Kampuchea in 2009 to prepare two national and international events in Phnom Penh, in cooperation with CIVICUS, PRIA and the WORLD BANK, about 'Social Responsibility'.

The VAC-program is looking for candidates with a specific interest in our work. The volunteer must have a real interest in strengthening democracy and the empowerment of those who need it most.

There is a huge range of opportunities for volunteers. They are able to choose what they want to learn and whether they would like to stay with a local NGO or the STAR Kampuchea Team.